Embodiments described herein relate generally to both fuel economy and visibility in vehicles. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to providing a vehicle with a more aerodynamic shape for increased fuel economy as well as providing the driver with increased visibility of the surroundings.
Fuel economy in vehicles is directly related to various aerodynamic properties of the vehicle body that result in the vehicle's aerodynamic drag force. Factors that contribute to the drag force on a vehicle include the frontal area of the vehicle and the profile of the vehicle, among other factors. Generally, the larger the vehicle, such as a truck or a bus, the more frontal area there may be, and therefore the larger amount of drag force there may be on the vehicle. The larger the drag force, the lower the fuel economy of the vehicle.
By reducing the frontal area of the vehicle, the drag force may in turn be reduced and the fuel economy may be increased. One portion of the frontal area that greatly contributes to air drag are the rear-view mirrors, which are located at or near the driver's side door and the passenger's side door and that protrude beyond the sides of the vehicle, also called side-view mirrors. By reducing the size of the rear-view mirror, the drag force on the vehicle may be reduced. However, the size of the rear view mirrors may not be reduced to the extent that the driver's visibility is impaired.
Conventional optical rear-view mirrors have a “blind spot”, a location where the driver cannot see objects located to the side and rearward of the front end of the vehicle. Vehicles in the adjacent lanes of the road from the primary vehicle may fall into these blind spots, and a driver may be unable to see these other vehicles using only the primary vehicle's rear-view mirrors.